Freddie Patek

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Frederick Joseph Patek (born October 9, 1944) was a Major League Baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, and California Angels. Primarily a shortstop, Patek was a three-time All-Star, and at a height of five feet, five inches (by some accounts he was five-foot-four), was the shortest player of his time. His diminutive size earned him nicknames such as Little Freddie, The Flea, and Moochie, all of which he disliked as it was tough enough to prove himself in general. It did not help that his voice was somewhat high-pitched, sounding not unlike that of the stereotypical little person, or perhaps a jockey.

Patek made his major league debut in 1968 with the Pirates, but made a name for himself after he was traded in 1970 to Kansas City, where he would lead the league in triples in 1971 and stolen bases in 1973. Not normally a power hitter—he hit 41 home runs in 1,650 games over his career—Patek became the second shortstop, after Ernie Banks, to hit three home runs in a single game on June 20, 1980 while playing for the Angels. Patek was better known for his speed and his defensive abilities. Former manager Whitey Herzog called Patek the best artificial turf shortstop he ever managed, ranking him even higher than Ozzie Smith.